H.E.R. Lands First Major Acting Role in Movie "The Color Purple"

American singer-songwriter H.E.R. has landed her first major acting role in Blitz Bazawule’s movie adaptation of the Broadway musical “The Color Purple” for Warner Bros.

The Tony-winning musical itself is an adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name.

H.E.R. is set to play Squeak, who goes from a juke joint waitress to an aspiring singer in the musical. The role was previously played by Rae Dawn Chong in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 movie.

Marcus Gardley wrote the screenplay, adapted from Marsha Norman’s book and Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray’s score.

The "budding" star Corey Hawkins will be featured in the movie, which is directed by Bazawule, who is best known for his work on Beyoncé’s “Black is King" and movie “The Burial of Kojo”.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Corey Hawkins[/caption]

Spielberg also returns to produce for his Amblin Entertainment production company along with Oprah Winfrey, who made her feature acting debut in “The Color Purple”, is producing the movie under her Harpo Films banner.

Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones, both of whom produced the Broadway musical, will as serve as producers.

Alice Walker, Rebecca Walker, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Carla Gardini, and Mara Jacobs are executive producers.

“The Color Purple” is set to be released on December 20, 2023.

In April, H.E.R. earned her first Oscar for the best original song category song for “Fight For You,” featured in  “Judas and the Black Messiah,”. The singer also has won four Grammys.